Drummer Steve Lamos leans forward over his kit, beginning into the recognizable beat of “Five Silent Miles” from the American Football EP. The corners of his mouth turn upward, his smile peaking out from under his five-panel hat. Behind him, cast onto a screen, is the image of the famous suburban house from the cover of LP1. After “Five Silent Miles,” Lamos trades out his drumsticks for his trumpet and the band goes into “The Summer Ends,” the second track from their legendary debut album. 26 years after its initial release, American Football is playing LP1 live in full.

The crowd stood attentive, eyes fixed on the stage. This night, May 24, 2025, was the first of two sold-out shows at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon. Vocalist Mike Kinsella’s voice sounds more mature than on the original album recording. The walls of the music venue, which was once a high school amphitheater, amplify it well. As the band plays through LP1, the background behind them cycles through various images of the iconic “American Football House,” purchased by the band in an act of preservation in 2023.

After playing through LP1, American Football added six songs from LP2 and LP3, with M. Kinsella’s partner Justine Fallon joining on stage to sing Hayley William’s parts in “Uncomfortably Numb.” The background images of the house at 704 W. High Street moved to the interior of the home in the second half of the set. M. Kinsella talked about the impact their LP1 album had on the genre and joked about being the “most boring rock band,” highlighting how the band hadn’t anticipated the waves they would make in the Midwest emo scene or how they would be playing their debut album to sold-out crowds 26 years later.

Opening the evening for American Football was Sea Lemon, the dreampop solo project of Seattle musician Natalie Lew. While her music was a bit more indie and more poppy than the Midwest emo of American Football, the instrumentation and dreamy vocals complemented the headlining band well. Lew also interacted with the crowd well, admitting she was considering moving to Portland and asking for recommendations for where to get breakfast in the morning — a question the crowd enthusiastically answered. Fittingly, she showed her support and love for the city in a Portland Trailblazers tee.

Finally, American Football closed out the evening with the song we had all been waiting for — the popular and first track from LP1 “Never Meant.” “Let’s just forget everything said…” M. Kinsella belted out the first line from the renowned Midwest emo anthem while a fan in the audience held a sign saying “We didn’t forget.”